24 on the 23rd

As many of you know, my 24th birthday was yesterday on April 23rd. Now I must admit, birthdays now don't seem as exciting as the days when I had Candyland princess parties with endless cupcakes and presents with tons of screaming girls running around in tutus (that was one birthday party I can never forget!). However, the simplicity of what my birthdays have become is surprisingly refreshing. Yesterday, Bobby and I woke up and headed out on a hike in Reservoir Canyon Creek just outside of SLO and man, what a great way to kick off my birthday! We meandered on a trail that took us through tall oak trees, waterfalls, wildflowers, river crossings, and we even spotted and caught two adorable California newts in one the of the pools along the stream (don't worry we put them back!). The beauty of the Earth God created never ceases to amaze me!

After our hiking adventure, we went out and had lunch at Panera Bread (a recent addition to San Luis Obispo!) and then headed out for some shopping. So I have to share this with you- one of my new favorite things is "couponing". I love the challenge of seeing how much stuff I can get for the least amount money, so this was my goal for my birthday! Bobby is such a trooper :) We headed out with coupons and rewards to World Market, Staples, Kohls, Sports Authority, and Mountain Air Sports. So, you ready for this? Grand total for the day: we got just about $200 worth of stuff for.....$65! and I even let Bobby get a few things :) It pays to cut coupons people!
All this to say, it wasn't about the stuff that I got, it was about the amazing day spent with my amazing husband!! We ended the day with dinner at Thai Palace in downtown SLO and all I can say is that my birthday was perfect :)

Some things I'm looking forward to in my 24th year of life:

-Backpacking on the Channel Islands.

-Hiking Half Dome.

-Backpacking trips in the Sierras.

-Beach volleyball tournaments.

-Our one year wedding anniversary!

-Time with family & friends.

-Exploring more of SLO and the California coast.

-Hopefully a trip to Europe!

-Growing closer to the Lord and following where He leads me.

-More adventures with my husband :)

Happy birthday to me :)

poppies, poppies, poppies!!

So it's spring time in SLO and we are loving it!! One of our favorite things is that poppies have been "popping" up everywhere and they are so beautiful. Our state flower is so awesome and we got to experience its beauty on a hike through Montana de Oro recently and we had to share with all of you. Enjoy! :)

a midwest adventure

Every time the Bushman family gets together for a vacation it is guaranteed to be a good time. Our recent adventure was to the Midwest to visit my brother and sister-in-law. On April 15, my mom, sister, Bobby and I flew out of OC to Chicago and then maneuvered our way through the airport and rode the EL (elevated train) through the city to Millennium Station where we hopped on another train that took us to the South Bend, Indiana airport- about a 2.5 hour ride. Once we got there, my sister-in-law, Katy, picked us up and we headed to their house and met up with my brother! It was so good to see them. My dad later met us there as he had flown in from North Carolina after a business trip. These times my family gets to spend together are some of my most favorite and treasured times and I feel so blessed to have a family like mine. Some highlights from the trip.....

We walked around Notre Dame campus (my brother and Katy are both students there) and got to enjoy the beautiful architecture of the buildings and some freshly bloomed tulips that lined the walkways.

We went to the Notre Dame Blue & Gold football game which was a pre-season scrimmage between the ND players. We braved it out through the pouring rain thanks to our ponchos!!

 After we spent a few days in Indiana, we went back to Chicago to explore the city. One of the highlights was going to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. I must say it was freezing cold and every time the hot chocolate vendor came around our seats, I had to buy one. :)

 THE BEAN. Not exactly sure about the purpose or history of this thing, but it's pretty cool!

The Family (minus Katy- she had to head back to IN early) after a long day of walking about the city in 37 degree weather (25 with windchill). I definitely understand why it's called the windy city! Nonetheless, we enjoyed ourselves and all agreed that Chicago is a pretty neat city.

We flew home on the 19th and not gonna lie, I was pretty happy to be back in sunny California. Good times were had by all and I'm excited to get to see my brother again soon when he comes to California next month! I love my family :) 

thoughts on sunshine

Well, here goes! Bobby and I got excited at the thought of starting a blog because it would allow us to share bits and pieces of our lives with the ones we love. Living in San Luis Obispo (recently named the happiest city in America!) I feel that we have been blessed in many, many ways. SLO in a nutshell is paradise on Earth. It’s filled with rolling green hills, open spaces, hiking trails, sand volleyball courts, parks, a stunning coastline, a bustling yet homey town, and best of all, countless days of sunshine. In my life, the sunshine is something that sustains me.  I love to be out in the sun to soak in its power, warmth, and life-giving energy, watching it transform the nature that surrounds me. 

God created the sun to bring light and to give life to everything on Earth just as He created His Son to bring light and give life to the Earth. The Son is the ultimate sustainer of my life and my constant source of light.

 Something I have been challenged with lately is the question of whether there are really good things that can come from the bad and if there really is going to be sunshine after the rainy season.  Through these times, I have been learning that there will always be dark times in life and even if I think the sun will never shine again, I need to have faith that in God’s timing, the sun (and the Son) will shine brighter on my life than it ever has before. It takes times of darkness and rain to fully appreciate the sunshine.  The Lord promises that “everything works together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)” and though it’s hard to believe at times, always look for His promise of the sunshine after it all.

On top of Madonna mountain.